Connie

Years Later

“That’s a wrap!” 

It’s impossible not to cry as we mentally exit our roles, knowing that many of us will never return to the set. 

After eight long seasons, Crimson Crest’s Cowboys has finally come to a close. 

It ends with the death of Tami and Barron Prosper, but with the show’s enormous popularity, there are already at least two spinoffs planned. One slated to be centered on the women of the Prosper family is being called Crimson Crest’s Cunts while it’s in development, which makes everyone laugh. 

“Are you crying?” Craig asks Axel. 

Our daughter Agatha gasps. “Daddy’s crying?”

Axel pivots away. “No!” 

Craig’s face splits in a delighted smile, but I step between him and Axel, glaring a warning. He backs off but chuckles as he goes to his trailer. 

“Go say goodbye to the crew,” I tell Agatha. 

For the last season, she starred on the show as one of Tami and Barron daughters, and the crew saw fit to spoil her with cookies more often than they should. 

“I’ll never get enough of her smile.” Axel sighs, watching after her. “It’s the one thing she got from you.”

He’s not lying. She was born with hair dark as coal and two eyes to match, just like all the Prosper children. But she has my lips.

For the rest of the day, we say goodbye to those leaving, knowing we’ll never see some of them again. 

Agatha gives cupcakes to everyone and is delighted by the compliments she receives. 

“I can’t believe I almost passed this up,” Axel finally says when we’re alone.

“Do you want to audition for other roles?” I ask. “I’m sure you’ll be cast in the upcoming Prosper project, but if there’s something else you want to sink your teeth into, I’ll make it happen.”

“No, baby. It’s not that. I just can’t believe that I let you leave all those years ago. I thank God every day Grey had Clint bring you back.” He wipes his eyes. “Because if he hadn’t—”

“Enough!” I bring my hands up and place them on his cheeks. “Everything happened exactly how it was meant to.”

Several of the cast and crew decide to head into town for the last day of the festival. 

Tourists get a kick out of seeing us and come in droves to ask for autographs. Thankfully, we have security to help with Agatha, who gets a little scared whenever there’s a crowd. 

Thank heavens we’re not raising her in Hollywood. The poor girl would never want to leave the house.

Auntie Kar offers to take her while we check out some of the new vendors, and we decide to try a new fancy crêpe food truck. 

On our way, we pass by Fiona, who is making flower crowns for the little girls. 

“Do you ever miss Los Angeles?” Axel asks as we approach the bridge connecting one side of town to the other. 

“Not even a little bit. Why?”

“Just making sure.”

After eating, we walk, our fingers threaded, taking in what Perish Prosper has become. Somehow, the town returns to a normal after festival, though the population had a mini explosion because of it. 

“So, have you decided whether you want to star in the next show?” I ask him as we head back to Karmen’s and Fiona’s strip. 

“I wouldn’t mind a recurring role.”

“Andy wants to see if your father will be a regular. He wasn’t too bad in the small part he played, even if he only got a minute of screen time.”

“I’m sure he’d love that,” Axel says. “What about you?”

“Ah, that’ll be a little hard for me…”

“How do you figure?”

I take his hand and place it on my belly. “Because I’m going to have my hands full…”

His jaw drops. 

“I hope that’s alright.”

All at once, I’m whisked off the ground and spun around in Axel’s enormous arms. 

After having Agatha, we’d immediately tried for another, but it just wasn’t happening for us, so we decided to relax and let nature do its thing. 

When I’m finally returned to earth, Axel digs his phone from his pocket and texts the group the good news.

I smile as the congratulatory texts pour in. 

Teeming with energy, Axel practically prances down the street like a peacock, which warms my heart. 

“I hate to spoil your good mood, but there is something else I need to bring up.” I bite my lip anxiously. 

“Lay it on me.”

“Andy asked to cast Agatha for a bigger role. Not a main character, but more than what she did this season.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“It’s…hard. I don’t want to push her like my parents did with me. She has to want it, and it can’t ever become toxic.”

“Baby, I’d stop production on a dime to the loss of a hundred million dollars if I ever felt it was hurting my girl.”

“I know you would. I guess I just needed to hear it.”

As we pick up Agatha, Fiona gives us an enormous hug, promising to babysit if it’s ever needed. The Prospers always have several nannies on call, but they’re rarely used because we like being there for each other. 

“Guess what,” Axel says as we pile into the car.

“You got me ice cream?” Agatha says hopefully. 

“Nope—something better?”

“Cake and ice cream?”

“No—”

“Cotton can—”

“A sibling,” Axel rushes out. “You’re getting a sibling.”

Agatha blinks twice. “Okay, but just so you know, ice cream and cake are better.”

We burst into laughter, and, because he’s a softy, Axel gets Agatha cake and ice cream. 

After we get home, we put Agatha to bed and unwind by watching trashy reality television. But I hardly pay attention because my mind won’t stop racing with all the possibilities of tomorrow. 

What I didn’t tell Axel earlier is that I, too, worry about what might have been if things hadn’t gone the way they had. If I hadn’t pushed for us. If he let his doubts get the best of him. 

But there’s no point in mulling over it because we made it, and from now until our last breaths, we have our family, friends, and each other.

The End

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